Fraternization
by Ear-Tweak-Sama
Summary: Dabbles of smut and romance between the sexy Spanish speaking James Vega, and the legendary Commander Shepard. Finally all that flirting goes some where, and if it's left up to James, that some where will be his Commander's cozy bed with the two of them naked. Vega/F!Shepard
1. Loco

Author's Note: So, with the recent DLC that's been released, and the obvious fan-girl swoon moment were Shepard's advances toward Lt. James Vega semi pays off, I decided it's finally time to write a Jame/F!Shepard fanfiction. First off, let me say that the Bioware staff SHOULD have included him as a romantic interest - all that shameless flirting, what a tease - not to mention it's easier to believe that he would fall in love with her because of his idolization of the legendary Commander. Second, this story won't really have a linear plot, it's more like dabbles with the same topic and events from the game. There will be loads of curse words, a ton of smut, and of course sexy Spanish speaking Vega. . .Mhmm. . anyways, I hope you enjoy this:)

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Chapter 1:_ Loco_

_Fuck._

Was he ever in it deep this time. He processed, re-processed, but could come up with no reasonable explaination as to why he was so in over his head. _This is loco_. Here he was obsessing over his superior, her sauntering around in her armor; daydreaming about how many layers there were between the armor, and their potential naked bodies. Her body the perfect balance of curves and lean muscle that reminded of him the prowess of a jungle cat, something beautiful and dangerous rolled into one human being - Commander Shepard. Althought, her title wouldn't protect her from him long, or maybe that was his more primitive side bubbling to the surface. He had to admit -he was a shameless flirt - yet he never intended his flirting to be anything more than playful, non serious banter to help him feel more at ease around Shepard, but this time, he'd taken it way too far.

_Ay dios - fucking - mio._

After she'd left him in the cargo bay bruised, and ego wounded he couldn't help but wonder just what the hell happened. They were both caught up in light conversation and equally light sparing - at the time his confidence had been higher than usual, and he'd already been pumped from feeling utterly helpless from their dealings with the Reapers and wanting more than blast the puntos straight to hell for invading Earth - but, now here he was heart in his throat, pounding a million miles a minute, caught completely off guard by how much he wished he'd spun her around, stripped of both their ranks and clothing, bend her over his workbench and showed her who was in charge.

"She's way out of your league, _hombre_." Esteban hollard teasingly, from his work station.

The words rolled off Steve's tongue as if he'd been reading his thoughts. Damn, if Esteban noticed Jame's budding crush on the Commander, than he was in deeper than he'd originally thought. He rubbed the bee-sting of a bruise that now marked the lower corner of his jaw, savioring the sensation of her touch, as odd as that seemed. The realization of his schoolboy crush suddenly knocked into him like a blow to the gut, why wouldn't he have a little school-boy crush on the Commander? She was a bit older, smarter, a damn military hero, and not to mention sexy as hell. He possessed no delusions over his chances however, he knew they were slim to none, but that didn't stop his eager male hormones from setting his blood ablaze whenever he thought of her, or she was near.

Back home during his younger more juvenile days he would have never thought about chasing after an older woman, let alone a _chica_ that wasn't from his neighborhood or immediate circle. He'd never fallen for a woman before, ever attempted anything serious with any of the young women he often fawned over, shit, after he grew a pair and joined the marines he never gave a second thought to ever having a relationship, but the heated semi-pissed off look she started throwing his way made a fire explode within his groin.

Smooth creamy bronze skin. Perfect hazel _verde_ eyes that flickered with specks of _azul._ Thick, rich jet black wavy hair that she often wore in a bun, but preferred to pull back in a pony-tail during down time. Pale, full candy pink lips begging to be tasted, sucked, and teased until his name escaped from them.

He ran through the events that had taken place only moments, hell, more like minutes ago. Her face dodging in and out of few, her fists flying left and right, and her sultry voice ebbing him on. If he'd been paying any sorts of attention he would have been able to avoid her knock-out of a right hook, unfortunately, his mind was elsewhere, as in daydreaming relatively impropper thoughts about his commanding officer. Even during her pep talk his mind had been adrift wondering what it would be like to have a woman like the Commander on his arm.

_"Thanks for the pep talk," he said, unenthusiastically. _

_She smirks as if to mock him, but no sound leaves her lips, instead the laughter reaches her eyes and warms them to an almost forest green. She crosses her arms over her chest, her body language dripping with a vixen's attitude, and just stares at him. From the look she giving, she knows who he is, right down to his daredevil, greenhorn, spanish-blooded core, and oddly enough seems interested? Amusement quickly flashes in her eyes, and a once piqued curiosity now sated by their little waltz. _

_Fuck. Was she damn sexy._

_She turns to leave throwing a simple "see you later, James" over shoulder, as if their sparing had been anything but what it actually was - a meeting between two people with nothing but casual conversation between them. For some reason, his brain not functioning as quickly as his mouth after the knock to his head he called after her, "Thanks for the dance, Lola."_

_She paused, turned slighty, and smiled a heart wrenching, drop dead gorgeous smile. "Lola, huh?"_

_Suddenly a loss for words he shurgged half-heartedly, as if he hadn't been calling her that since signing on to her crew. "Yeah, you kind of look like a Lola."_

_Her hands sit magnetically on the voluptuous curves that are her hips. She cocks one of her perfectly define full eye brows, "You're cute, so I'll let you get away with it." She smiles again, "For now." _

_Holy. Fucking. Hell._

_"That's it, now you've made me blush."_

He could still see her behind his eyes, each and every time he closed them, and while they were open, he could hear her voice, as familiar as the voice of a lover. She'd left him in the cargo bay like that, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, awestruck - who did she think she was anyways? - with a look of smugness that reminded him of a full bellied cat after it swallowed a canary.

James couldn't make sense of any of it, and he doubted that he ever would, at least not anytime soon. Even as a dull ache settled in his stomach and the wavering flutter of his beating heart slowed to normalcy, he found himself wishing she'd come to him again.

This feeling was raw, and new. Something he'd never felt for a woman before, and he'd be damned if he knew whether it was purely sexual or an actual desire to know her as a person, an individual, and not just an attractive woman.

This was _loco_. No other words could explain the situation he was now drowning in.


	2. Little Lies

Author's Note: So, before I get down to the battles, blood and gore of this story. .I figured I'd make our little Spanish grunt more of a complex character than he actually was in the game, at least in some aspects. More to come, I enjoy writing from Vega's perspective - it's considerably imaginative since his scenes and lines were few and far in-between, but if there had been a REAL romance option I'd assume things would follow along these lines. Oh, also forgot to mention that I don't own any of the characters mentioned; they all belong to the people at Bioware. Lucky fucks.

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Chapter 2 : _Little lies_

Okay, so he was lying - big time. He was just a mouse in a maze ever searching for just a whiff of cheese.

Round a corner, and right into a dead end.

"The bed is alot harder than it looks."

Woah, what the hell did that mean? Was that an open invitation, or had he finally lost his fucking mind?

"Are you flirting with me, Lola?"

Scratch that. He was on a sinking ship about to drown in shark infested waters, screw the damn mouse. If she didn't shred him apart, surely she'd at least throw him a life line, right?

She smirked and rolled her eyes, those glorious _verde_ eyes that sparkled with _azul_ as bright as Earth's sky, as if to say, _you wish soldier_...And boy, did he ever wish. He reminded himself ever day that she was just another soldier like him, flesh and blood like him, a woman with desires and needs no different than his own, and yet he couldn't forget her rank. But he'd be damn if she didn't fill out a uniform better than any female grunt he'd ever come into contact with.

James honestly couldn't believe he'd been able to formulate a complete and correct sentence in English, never mind his second language, but there it was a question he couldn't take back. The words hung in the air for a moment, obvious tension swirling around the small cabin like a hurricane. This wasn't the first time that she'd left him guessing, left him wondering if maybe he did have a shot with his Commander, as unlikely as it sounded, her behaviour left room for interpretations. Though he had to admit; it took real big _cajones_ to say that shit out loud - even as a half-hearted joke or lame attempt to be smooth.

There's a sudden transformation in her face, an impishness that he can't quite place, but causes his blood to boil red hot within his veins. The looks she gives him sends his imagination on a field day - there the two of them are, casually flirting and tossing back dirty innuendos with each other until he reaches his breaking point. He aggressively pushes her against the fish tank and consumes every inch of her mouth; finally claiming it as his own. His hand, rough, calloused, roaming up and down the lines of her beautiful curves which at the moment are safe behind the layers of her uniform. .

She clears her throat; bringing him sadly back to reality. "I'm going, I'm going." he reponds, defeat constricting his chest. It's better this way, he convinces himself as he retreats back to the safety of the cargo bay. On the eve of a mission they couldn't afford any distractions, not like his little obsessive daydreams weren't distracting enough, he didn't need the added pressure of having a conversation with the Commander that he definitely wasn't ready to have. He'd never be able to focus if shit really hit the fan, and what did he expect? For her to openly welcome him into her bed, take him as her lover while there was a war going on? Talk about terrible timing. _Fuck_.

He entered the elevator and descended back down into the depths of Normandy. With a small chime of the elevator, his arrival was annouced but luckily only Esteban remained - still tinkering away as always during down time. Steve tossed him a look over his shoulder, a less than subtle _I told you so_..and he sure as hell didn't want to hear that shit.

_Estupido_.

Here he was fawning over her like some love sick puppy. It was written all over his face, and he felt like doing nothing but brooding. "Pathetic," he muttered, making his way back to his workbench, his sanctuary. One thing he likes about Esteban is that he doesn't pry, he knows when to leave well enough alone. Torturing him on matters of the heart wasn't his style, losing love taught him more than enough about not taking life and romance for granted.

How the hell was someone as unworthy as him suppose to charm some one like Commander Shepard, damn, and it wasn't like he was the only single, eligible male on this ship, so where the hell did that leave him?

James remembered first hearing about Commander Shepard, the hero of the Citadel; destoryer of the Collector base. At the time he hand't even considered doing much of anything with his life, or with his rank, but he could recall the rumors, the gossip, and the lies that spread like wild fire about this amazing woman. No one had listend to her warnings of the Reapers during the battle of the Citadel, not even after she'd defeated Saren and was branded a goddamn legend did anyone attempt to hear her out. Then came the Collectors, agents of the Reapers, raiding colonies of millions if not thousands of people. . which led to that damn mission where he lost his entire squad, and for what? Data? Information that Shepard had already devulged to the entire fucking galaxy, but would anyone listen. No. _Nada_. _Fucking puntos_.

He dove back into working; occupying his hands before he broke something valuable - though he'd feel justifed considering his dilemma. He'd be lying if he said she wasn't his reason for being as driven as he was, he'd be lying if he said that wasn't why he had the hots for her. She defied all odds, stood up for what she believed in, took charge and fought back, and man if it wasn't sexy ass hell. And not to mention how great her tight little ass looks in armor, especially during a mission while he's flanking her on the field elbows deep in gun fire. James would never share that little detail with anyone, and he makes sure to be as subtle as possible - it's like his abuela told him, "hell hath no fury, like a woman's scorn" - and the Commander already scared him shitless, which was in some aspects part of her appeal, but he didn't need another ass kicking from her.

On the other hand; however, he'd be lying if he said it wouldn't be worth it. He imagined ripping off her scivies and spanking that nice taut ass, just to feel how smooth and perfect the skin there truly was. He'd be also lying if he hadn't already imagined plunging deep inside her from behind, hot and wet, demanding her full attention and proving to her that he was worthy of a woman like her.

He shook his head - dismissing the primitive male urges that yearned to be fulfilled - now was the time to focus. His head needed to be in the game. Commander Shepard deserved soldiers who could contribute noting but the best, that's where his focus should tuly lie.

James grunted and tossed his work aside, unable to complete anything. He'd turn in for the night, hoping sleep would bring his mind some clearity that keeping himself otherwise occupied hadn't, and maybe talk to Estaban in the morning about all of this. Not to actually pursue anything, but to get all of this off his mind.

_Un idiota_.

He was turning into a real chickenshit these days. All these little lies he'd perfectly stitched together to prevent his feelings from consuming him, seemed now to be bursting at the seams, and he didn't know what the fuck to do.


	3. Compromise

Author's Note: Woohoo, another chapter. Yes, I know that the majority of them so far are very short, but again I said dabbles. In this chapter we have a bit of action and our little Jimmy Vega gets himself into trouble. Haha, anyways, don't own any characters - Bioware does. Please read and review!

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Chapter 3: _Compromise_

With this war, this is probably as close as he would ever get to the Turian homeworld - and being on Palavan's moon was no small feat. It was hard not to be amazed by the beauty that space seemed to offer planets, no matter how disolate, or damaged the landscape truly was once beyond the star, the vastness of space made everything perfect.

"That you breathing hard back there, James?" Shepard tossed teasingly over her shoulder.

She was all power, and flexibility - agile and unbound like a wild animal. Her feet barely grazing the ground as she danced across the frontline, dodging bullets from Cannibals, engaging in melee attacks with husks, this life had all become second nature to her - some fucked up part of her everyday routine. He couldn't believe the shit he'd witnessed within the short amount of time under her command, it all just wasn't normal _even_ for space marines, but then again she set the pressandent of abnormal what with dying and coming back to life.

James slowed his breathing, embarrassed that he hadn't realized how winded he sounded, and that Shepard pointed it out so openly. "Atmosphere's just a little thinner than I'm use to," he basically grunts back, a child pouting after being mocked.

Regaining his composure, he steadys and readys his shot-gun, then takes off after Shepard lunging over the small cluster of boulders he saw her disappear behind.

Evesdropping was never his forte, but as Garrus and the Commander converse about the succession of the new Primarch, he can't help but listen in. James takes mental notes of everything shared between the two, each name, date, their plan to successfully get him off world - he may not be the smartest marine, or even the most strategic soldier, but he's learned when to pay attention to vital information, especially when survivial hung in the balance. Unfortunately he hasn't mastered the technique of multi-tasking, which would have proven to be a very useful skill the moment the Commander's small taut ass came into peripheral view.

From the corner of his eye he see her duck behind a rock formation, her supple ass directed toward him, and her pistol aimed toward an advancing cluster of husks. She alters her standard Alliance ammunition and sets it to that of cryo, James assumes that this tactical move is more so for him and Garrus than herself - to diminish the hordes numbers from overrunning them. Thinking on his feet, he flings a frag-grenade toward the bulk of the frozen husks, then lets out a congradulatory hoot upon hearing them shatter like broken glass.

He catches Shepard peering his way, a amused glint in her eyes, and the eagerness of blood shed rudding her cheeks to a soft pink. Unfortunately for him, as soon as the moment rears it's head, it's gone just as quickly as they are flung into another battle. A swarm of Cannibal are steadily overcome their position, forcing them back into cover. In the mits of fire fight, a husk pins Garrus down, clawing, and biting at the turian's armored flesh.

The Commander rolls into action placing herself in the crossfire of his shot-gun and the weapons being fired by the Cannibals. She makes good timing, manuverinhg her way around the battlefield and toward Garrus, slamming her fists into approaching husks while flinging bullets over her slim shoulder. James can feel his desire burning between his legs, his eagerness to witness her speed, agility, and ferocity one on one clouding all other trains of thought. _Loco_, this is fucking _loco._

Only Shepard could some how find a way to make a fucking battle seem like an erotic porno. The way she held her gun steady, and gripped it with such a confidence, it made James wonder what else she could do with her steady hands.

"Taking heavy fire!" Shepard screams, loading her gun with another clip.

No shit. That was an understatment.

He was instantly moving toward her. All brawn and no brain. All muscle momentum, a typical grunt - which is why he's a soldier and not a commanding officer. Complete lack of tactical fortitude, no strategic aptitude, _nada_. He and Shepard are polar opposites, he proves just that by pulling this bone-head move. Armor protesting, his shield depleting rapidly, not to mention the headshot his helmet just took. Taking dangerous risks is what he's good at, perhaps by sheer dumb luck he makes his way to the Commander - partially unscathed.

The Commander isn't pleased. They'd already discussed this very topic, but damn, if she doesn't look sexy pissed off. More bullets spark from their guns, they hit their intended targets leaving only the Cannibals to be dealt with.

He found himself suddenly wanting to protect her - his male instincts overpowering his common sense. Protect her? Hell, if anything he had that backwards. He casually uses carnage to destroy the beasts as they feast on a fallen comrade, that goes to prove there is no loylaty among the Reapers.

"Commander, you alright?"

"What the hell are you doing, Lieutenant?" she demands, "Get back to your position!"

What was it about this woman's fury that turned him on so god-damn much?

Once Garrus is saved, medi-gel applied, and the last of the Reapers slaves handled, he half expects the Commander to lay into him like she had those husks in battle. Jesus. He could have compromised the mission with his new daredevil mentality - all because his damn libdo was compromising his common sense.

He shrinks away from her hardend profile, too ashamed of what he did, too embarrassed to face her or to even try and explain his actions. What could he say? Devulge all of his inner desire to her, the ones that were spewing over into his every day thought and preventing him from doing his job.

James couldn't guarantee his lust for his Commander officer would be sadated anytime soon, but he for damn sure wouldn't be the reason for the Commander's ire on the next mission.


	4. Doubts

Author's Note: Hi Everyone! Sorry for the slight delay in the chapter. Life started getting hectic and I unfortunately wasn't able to post this when I wanted; however, I can say now that I will post at least once a week:) Okay, now on comments about the chapter. First, sorry for making Vega a little "emo" in regards to his feelings for Shepard. Honestly in the game his character was...a little two-dimensional, although very funny and charming, nothing about him really made him stand apart from the other companions/crew members. He was basically a sexy meat head. So, I figured, maybe behind all the flirting, and huge ego, is actually someone who's actually very insecure and only acts out to over compensate. Hence the slight AU nature of his dialogue and behavior.

Before I start the chapter I'd to give a shout out to the people who have reviewed the story thus far:

_Kai_ - First off, you should totally become a member so that you can be updated on the story! haha. And second -don't worry, plenty of fluff and sexiness is heading our way.

_Inkjet_ - Thanks so much for following the story:) means a lot! I hope you keep reading, and also continue to enjoy the chapters.

_CaptainAirstripOne_ - I know, right? God, all that flirting between the two of them drove me crazy! I kept thinking to myself, "Shepard, you are such a cougar!" Haha. FemShepard goes after everyone in the games, but if given a chance Vega could have possibly been the best pairing for her. If Bioware would have worked on his character just a bit more, they would have been great together. You have a guy who's impulsive, lighthearted, and a greenhorn, and then you have Shepard, someone who's determined, driven, a smartass, and needs to be kept on her toes. This of course is my opinion, but I'm glad that I could sway you to team Vega/Shepard:)

_Skylark16_ - Well, then, read this chapter because I finally updated! Hahah.

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Chapter 4: _Doubts_

Missions have really started to get to him, his body aches with the weight that each has left him scarred with. The others, with the exception of Garrus had taken shore leave on the Citadel, even Steve, who had dedicated himself to being a hermit in the shuttle bay since the beginning of their initial mission, decided to give into temptation and follow suit. James on the other hand, hadn't. The Citadel was a _fuckin_g joke, just an illusion of paradise in the stars amongst a galaxy of chaos. He misses Earth desperately; and that weighs down on his heart more so than anything, and even with all of the politics wrapped up in all their side missions, he can't help but feel like it's all useless.

He was just a soldier, what did he know of summits, and appeasing delegates? _Nada_, _hermano_. Hell, he knew more about cooking Spanish cuisine, thanks to his abuela, than all of this tit-for-tat bullshit. Taking after Esteban's previous behavior, not necessarily the grieving aspect, but the solidarity one, so he remains on the Normandy unable to face the lie that the Citadel represents. Not even Shepard stayed behind, which sadden him to no end. For his own selfish reasoning's he believed that she'd take notice of his sullen behavior and stay behind to comfort him, a pep talk of some sort, even another sparring match would have sufficed, but she did the opposite - she ignored him.

Perhaps, he'd taken a childish outlook to all of this. She wasn't his wife, his girlfriend, or even simply a friend - she was his commanding officer. How could he expect her to baby him when she had an entire planet counting on her to save the day? She was the legend they looked to for answers, she was the commander who found results, and achieved success no matter what the cost. Yet, he, a lowly soldier, wanted her all to himself without all the bullshit attached to her position. Did he really want the heartache attached to chasing after a woman who would always place duty before everything else? He thought he could, before her, before these feelings consumed every minute of every waking hour. Serving humanity, making sure the galaxy was safe for the ones he loved, that's what drove him and fueled his determination.

James ran a clammy hand through his hair. He'd never been one to over think much of anything, not being a marine, not being a lowly ranked soldier, not even once with being a street punk with no real future. Stationed at his workbench, as usual, he buries himself in useless tasks such as cleaning the barrel of his guns, and buffing his armor. Sitting in the corner, in a hand crafted wooden chest, are a few personal items he brought with him from Earth. A picture of his abuela, before she passed away, a leather bound book of cooking recipes, his mother's wedding ring, and a small cracked vid that he purchased within the last few moments he was on Earth. He reached for it, the vid hadn't cost much of anything, and in fact the woman selling them had been doing so in bulk and was happy to be rid of one.

It lit up at his touch a warm orange light flooded his small piece of sanctuary. Cradling the vid in his hand he shifts through a few of the clips, and then takes a seat on the crate opposite of the workbench. Shepard's body materializes in front of him, pocket sized, fragile, and petite, nothing like the real Shepard. She greets him, welcoming, registering the fact that he is a marine, and warns him to be careful out in the field.

He smiles pleasantly. This Shepard isn't like his at all. Although captured to an almost perfect T; there's something missing something that he can't place. He zooms in to get a better look at her lips. They're full and plump, the sexiest shade of rouge; the curve in all the right places, and dimple in others - he can almost feel them on his body. Those lips pressed against every inch of his body, starting from head and trailing down to his groin. Oh, and when she reached his groin, she would absorb him fully and with ease. Her mouth would tug at his length, her lips wrapped nice and tight as they slide from the head of his penis to the base of his near his balls.

He'd moan her name, softly at first, but then as she increased her speed, he would as well, and cry out her name until the torture grew too unbearable. .And then the fantasy was over, his brain had convinced him once again that he had no chance in hell. Blood. Flesh. Bone. This what he was, but what was the Commander? Inhumanly un-human. An independent woman with beauty, charisma, charm . . . who'd led a team back from a suicide mission, who had dedicated her life to the mission, to the N7 program and nothing else.

His conversation with Esteban had boosted his confidence immensely, and he'd felt pretty good about his chances or at least with confessing, not necessarily with accepting possible rejection.

"_Just talk to her, man. She might surprise you," Steve said, sitting down beside his disgruntled companion._

"_I don't know hermano. She's HER, ya know?" James grunted, lowering his shoulders in defeat._

"_She's human, just like you. She's capable of feeling love, sadness, hopelessness, and loneliness just like the rest of us."_

"_How do I get over the fact that she's my superior officer?" he asked, "How do I see her as just a woman?"_

_Steve rears back to get a better look at James, and then folds his arms over his chest. The look of concern disappears and is replaced by one of understanding. James had never been in love before, and he wasn't even sure he could call this infatuation love now, but there was something about Shepard that stirred feeling in him that'd he'd told himself he was incapable of experiencing. He'd witnessed love before and knew what it looked like, Esteban and Robert had been the perfect example. _

"_You'll regret sitting on your hands," Steve said finally after a long deliberate pause. "Especially with this war. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed."_

Completely embarrassed and feeling utterly pathetic he tosses the vid into a nearby bin, unable to bring himself to continue to look at it. How could he not find at least an ounce of courage within himself to go and confess to Shepard? Steve had lost the love of his life, his other half, his entire world, and still mustered enough strength within himself to fight the Reapers. Steve's efforts in this war were giving James the chance to experience love, or even just a shred of real happiness for the first time in a long while.

Suddenly he is moving, body acting out what his mind protested against. The doors of the elevator opened with a whoosh of air, and James in it and had sealed the doors completely before they'd even opened entirely. He hesitantly stood his finger hovering over the button that would deliver him to the captain's cabin. Before he realized what going on his finger was recoiled from the metal button and the elevator shifted into gear drawing him ever closer to Shepard.

The elevator pulled to a halt and the doors swung swiftly open, as they had before in the shuttle bay. The cabin door was closed, however, the access control was green meaning although she was within the cabin she'd most likely accept company. James approached the door cautiously, collecting himself with each step and with each passing second hoping he doesn't lose his nerve.

Each corner of the door flies away from the center access button, leaving him standing in an open entry way. "Uh, hey Commander –" he stops mid sentence upon seeing Shepard sitting on the edge of her bed, her left arm extended out in front of her and the right carefully holding it, as if she's inspecting a wound. He hops down the few steps curiosity getting the better of him, and stops just a few inches away from her. "Commander?" he asks, since she still has acknowledged his presence.

She doesn't respond. She just continues to inspect her arm, lightly tracing the lines of her veins until she reaches her elbow and works her way back to her hand again. "James?" she asks, darkly.

"Yeah, Commander?"

"Do you ever wonder what makes us _human_?"

He pauses, completely caught off guard by the question. There was the obvious, of course, biology made them human...so surely she meant something other than that. He watched her flex her fingers, and then balled them in to a tight fist. "I'm not as smart as Doc' is, but I don't know Commander – our _humanity_?"

She peered up at him as if seeing him for the first time. Her once sparkling beautiful hazel _verde_ eyes now dull with such sadness. James was now at a complete loss for words. He'd always had doubts, and his faith in others and himself had been shaken numerous times, but here, watching his hero struggle with an issue that's answer seemed so simplistic, fazed him.

"What if you question your own humanity?" she asked, her gaze drifting downward to the ship's floor. "I died once, and was resurrected with cybernetics...I could just be an advanced AI programmed to believe I'm something I'm not."

The cracks were visible now, not tangibly, but they were there plastered over her perfectly un-marred skin. She drew in a heavy breath and relaxed her knit brows, allowing herself to gradually replace her true self with the mask she always wore. Despite the logic, he desperately wanted to comfort her. He instead crouches beside her and places a comforting, if not reassuring hand on her shoulder. He was glad when she didn't flinch or pull away; it satisfied something deep inside him, the same something that brought him to the Commander's cabin. James decided he would be there for her, and not just tonight, but every night that followed regardless of mutual feelings.

He knew now that he was falling in love. He'd watched someone who sat on a pedestal above all others, crumble, and fall right before his eyes. And she'd allowed him to stay, she allowed him to see her vulnerable, and allowed him to comfort her. He no longer denied that this woman would change him and that he could come to care immensely about her, those doubts no longer plagued his heart.

Tonight wouldn't be the night he confessed, however, she need a companion more than she needed a lover. Her doubts were far more concerning and bothersome than that of conflicting emotions.

"Sorry for dropping that on you, James." She half laughs, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Lola," he says, his voice heavy with confidence, "don't worry about it. I'm always here when you need to talk."


End file.
